11 excellent wines for summer (tip: try them with fried fish)

Whether it’s for an aperitif, lunch, or dinner with family or friends, the summer table calls for fresh wines (which can even be reds). Here we focus on very good labels (while keeping an eye on the budget) that will prove particularly suitable for your menus based on fish and shellfish in general, but especially for a classic crispy, golden, and irresistible fried fish.

Whites, rosés and sparkling wines for fried fish (and more)

Squid, prawns, anchovies, baby cuttlefish, red mullet… the stars of fried fish must be of excellent quality; then pay attention to the oil, the flour, the temperature, and the kitchen paper: to make sure that “crispy, dry, tasty, and golden” do not turn into “soggy, greasy, fatty, and heavy.”

The wines should be savoury, able to stand up to the richness of the dish without overpowering it, with good acidity, structured but not excessively so. Here are our recommendations from northern to southern Italy, among whites, rosés, and sparkling wines.

In the following tasting notes (by William Pregentelli) the score is expressed out of one hundred.

White wines

94/100

Tullum Pecorino Biologico ‘23 – Feudo Antico

The Tullum Pecorino Biologico is always very good: this year, the 2023 vintage has charmed us with fresh notes of mountain meadow, citrus peels both green and yellow, and delicate hints of flint. On the palate it melts into a sip of great precision, playing on citrus reminiscences; it is deep and endowed with remarkable length.

91/100

Etna Bianco Aedes ‘23 – I Custodi delle Vigne

The philosophy of Mario Paoluzi’s winery, assisted by Salvo Foti, is encapsulated in its name. Composed of 60% Carricante with additions of Catarratto, Grecanico, and Minnella, the Aedes ‘23 presents mineral scents, smoky notes, exotic fruit and citrus. On the palate it is savoury, still sharp with acidity, and with a fine spicy finish of pepper.

93/100

Colli di Luni Vermentino V. Basse ‘23 – Terenzuola

The vineyards cultivated by Ivan Giuliani span several areas: some are within the Cinque Terre denomination; others are in the Colli di Luni DOC, on the border between Liguria and Tuscany. The Vigne Basse ‘23 is very fragrant with citrus tones, a wine that enchants with its savouriness and the mineral tension that gives character to its elegant craftsmanship.

92/100

Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Cl. Sup. Vito ‘23 – Podere Vito Cardinali

Vito Cardinali owns a new and ultra-modern winery in Morro d’Alba. The estate impressed us with the Verdicchio Vito ‘23, which offers classic almond sensations intertwined with echoes of aromatic and medicinal herbs; the palate is well-paced, harmonious, and decidedly pleasant.

92/100

Circeo Bianco Innato ‘23 – Villa Gianna

The Circeo Bianco Innato ‘23 is delightful, made from Trebbiano, Malvasia del Lazio, and Chardonnay grapes. On the nose it offers hints of prickly pear and citron with floral nuances, leading to a savoury, pleasant, and taut palate, built on a rich mineral base.

92/100

Vermentino di Gallura Sup. Canayli ‘23 – Cantina Gallura

The Canayli is truly an authentic Vermentino, offering a profile of both the territory and the winery’s style. To a fleshy palate it adds an olfactory spectrum ranging from acacia flowers to almond, with shades of lemon peel and pear. The finish is savoury, fresh, and lingering.

89/100

Brumoso Vermentino Frizzante Ancestrale ‘23 – Terre dell’Etruria Il Poderone

Terre dell’Etruria is a cooperative that grows ever more convincing. The Brumoso Frizzante Ancestrale ‘23, from Vermentino grapes, is a perfect example: immediately fragrant on the nose, it offers a delicious and lively drink that is hard to resist.

Rosé wines

95/100

RGC Valtènesi Chiaretto Cl. Fontanamora ’23 – F.lli Turina

The Fontanamora captivates with its pale, bright pink colour: it is a wine of great complexity on the nose, offering small fruits and spices, smoky and mineral notes, and it is elegant. Composed, full, and taut on the palate, it displays incredible freshness and textbook progression.

92/100

Rosato ‘23 – Cenatiempo

Pasquale Cenatiempo offers highly expressive wines, in harmony between tradition and drinkability. The excellent Rosato ‘23 presents fresh iodised nuances among notes of white cherry and raspberry. A wine with mineral structure, it is flavourful and fragrant, rich in saline hints and energy.

Sparkling wines

95/100

Valdobbiadene Rive di Farra di Soligo Extra Brut Col Credas ‘23 – Adami Spumanti

From the Torri di Credazzo comes the Extra Brut Col Credas, exploring the freshest and most hidden soul of the Treviso style, with aromas reminiscent of Granny Smith apple and a palate-conquering firmness of acidic tension.

89/100

Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut M. Cl. – Puiatti

The Blanc de Blancs is truly pleasant: a Chardonnay-based sparkling wine whose aromatic profile offers sensations of white peach, jasmine, and orange blossom. The palate is agile with a creamy mousse, and a persistent finish that turns mineral.